Loew's Oriental Theatre
1832 86th Street,
Brooklyn,
NY
11214
1832 86th Street,
Brooklyn,
NY
11214
26 people
favorited this theater
Showing 251 - 259 of 259 comments found
I saw some of the best movies of my youth here during the late 70'and early 80’s it was better as a twin , triplexing cut the second level theatre in half. It was a huge building. The first floor still had a piano in it i suppose a holdover from its early days , it seemed to be a mile from the first row of seats to the piano and the screen . As kids we would dare eachother to go and play the piano. The lobby was really nice full of marble and brass . a real contrast to the Benson which was a few blocks away. It became very rundown in later years broken seats poor lighting and bad sound. And the Drapery on the walls would fall .
Philip.. Thanks for the tip about how to see a PIECE of the ld theatre! Next time I am in Brooklyn I will try that.
I saw a movie at the Oriental not too soon before it closed. The sound was so unaudiable, I had to ge tmy money back. There were tons of broken seats n the auditorium and a ladder sitting there.
However, this theatre was actually kept up more than most of the decaying old Brooklyn theatres. It lasted awhile, and was not renovated into something sterile.
Do you remember the sign that said in VERY faded paint VAUDVILLE SHOWS on the side of the building.. you could see it from the train!
Here is something interesting. An employee of the theatre who was there when it closed, made a home movie, just a few minutes long, about the theatre. He showed it’s last day of operation, a bunch of pictures from when it was new, and some photos of photos that were in the basement.
It is amatuerish but very interesting nonetheless.
If you are interested in a copy, I have transferred it to DVD. Please email me at and I can make you a copy of the DVD. Cost including shipping will be $15, since DVD blanks are still costly. However, it is a very nostalgic piece.
Mike
If there is a single theatre that I could say I practically grew up in, it’s the Loew’s Oriental.
I’ve seen countless movies there with my family as we lived within walking distance (imagine a family of 5 WALKING to the movies?!?)
From infancy being sent to the movies with my older sisters to get out of our parent’s hair on a Saturday, to seeing firt-run blockbusters like “Love Story,” to hanging out with high school chums (while cutting out of class) watching “The Longest Yard” to making out in the wonderful balcony with my future wife – this theatre was a huge part of my life!
I’ll never forget being there with a 100 percent capacity crowd watching “Lenny,” or how complete strangers passed teary eyed neighbor a Kleenex during “Love Story.”
There is a special exhilaration in being part of a packed house during a riotous comedy! “The Odd Couple” and “Airplane” provided me with memories of HUGE laughs with the crowd.
Thanks for letting me reminisce. I drive past the Oriental to this day, and I still smile at the great times!
The address for the Loew’s Oriental Theatre was 1832 86th Street.
The Loew’s Oriental opened in 1927, designed by Harrison Wiseman. It contained 2,733 seats before it was twined in the 70’s and triplexed in 1982. The Oriental showed it’s last movie in May 1995.
I was in the building this weekend shopping with my wife. Although the orchestra level is completely gutted, I found an original theater staircase behind a closed door. it still has some of the original brasswork. Look at the drop ceiling and you’ll see a few missing panels, let your eyes adjust to the darkness above and you can barely make out the old ceiling of the theater. Also look at the plastered side wall. It’s also from the original theater lobby. It’s freshly painted but if you look up to where the ceiling panels are, and look above them through one of the missing panel’s holes, you see where the old dark paint from the theater begins. (To gain access to this stairway, just ask to use the bathroom, as it stands behind a locked door, and a store associate must open it for you.)
It had a grand lobby with a sculpted dragon in the ceiling. unfortunately parking was at a premium in the area, and without a parking lot, Sony Theaters scrapped plans to convert it into a multi-screen theater. It’s closing marked the end of the Loew’s era of theaters in Brooklyn…for now, at least.
Theatre location is Bay 19th and 86th Streets.